Introduction
The Salem witch trials are one of American history’s most mystical and disturbing episodes. Research into the reasons for the start of such events can clarify the motivation of city residents and the reasons that pushed them to carry out an impromptu trial. The trials took place in 1692 in a small settlement on the outskirts of Massachusetts when 19 people who were convicted as witches were executed (Deeksha2021).
This topic has led to many investigations and works of art, but the real reason for starting such processes is not apparent. The interweaving of complex social, political, and religious traditions in those times played a significant role in the events. To fully understand the reasons for the witch trials, it is necessary to delve into the study of the social system in the historical context of that time.
Historical Context
The Salem witch trials must be understood and studied as part of their historical time. America’s colonial history in the late 17th century was characterized by a combination of unique events that played a role in causing society to panic and begin witch hunts (Deeksha 2021). Society at that time was in the form of development and formation. In Massachusetts, the Puritans found a place to create a community that could exist freely with significant emphasis on religious aspects and conformity.
The religiosity of the residents of Salem is considered to be one of the critical factors in the fact that they began trials of women whom they considered witches (Deeksha 2021). Another essential factor to consider is that the Salem trials were not isolated. In Europe, court hearings and public lynching were also held for a long time against people suspected of witchcraft. This contributed to the spread of public fear regarding witches and people who allegedly possessed supernatural powers.
Background
The Salem events could not have occurred independently, as several pre-existing circumstances contributed to this situation. One of the significant elements in the development of the Salem witch trials can be considered the Parris Family (Underwood 2019). Reverend Samuel Parris had a strained relationship with members of the community. This was due to various disputes regarding his salary and relevance in the village. In addition, his leadership style was quite authoritarian, which did not suit many people. Thus, this tension within society could contribute to the accumulation and emergence of many claims that later resulted in a witch hunt.
The above tensions in Salem society were also due to previous accusations of witchcraft that had taken place in the village. Some of the people who were executed at that time were Bridget Bishop and Margaret Jones, which contributed to increased public stress (Underwood, 2019). As people became more suspicious of each other, some might use the tool of blame to get rid of those they did not like. This critical reason could combine with other factors to provide a picture of multiple processes. The initial processes also strengthened the opinion in society that witchcraft was honest and could pose a danger.
Trigger Events
Many of the factors that became auxiliary at the beginning of the trials of the Salem women were not their root cause. However, there were specific episodes that helped events begin to develop more actively. One of these was the strange behavior of young girls in 1692 (Underwood 2019). Among them were Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, the daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris.
Convulsions, fits, hallucinations, and sudden outbursts of aggression caused concern in the community, which contributed to further developments. The girls also claimed they saw witches and various ghosts who bewitched them and prevented them from leading an ordinary life. Concerns began to creep in among the villagers, which required immediate measures to resolve the current situation and find the reasons for this behavior.
Another important event that could become a trigger for the start of a full-scale witch hunt can be considered the testimony of Tituba, who was enslaved and served in the Parris family. As the girls’ condition worsened, they began to blame her, and under tremendous pressure, the person confessed that she practiced witchcraft (Ndu and Obiorah2021). This was confirmed by the fact that the girls planned to frame the woman and accuse her of witchcraft. This was possible because they forced her to bake a witch’s cake, which was later used as proof that she was a witch (Nduand Obiorah 2021). This statement convinced all the villagers of the presence of magic and increased public concern regarding this aspect.
Tituba’s confession resulted in a manifold increase in accusations against anyone who seemed suspicious or was observed in strange behavior. Betty Parris and Abigail Williams continued to blame other people for strange occurrences, thus increasing public suspicion and tension regarding witchcraft (Huidrom 2019). Each new accusation of independence, whether it was proven, gave rise to new concerns, which led the villagers to conclusions about the need for witch trials. A series of triggering events played an essential role in the witch trials beginning to take a more serious turn, with each suspicion ending in interrogation and subsequent accusation.
Side Effects
Religious factors played a significant role in increasing social tension and growing conflict. The Puritan belief system occupied a central place in the Salem witch trials as the inhabitants were utterly convinced of the existence of various otherworldly forces. As part of their concept and literal interpretation of the Bible, the Puritans viewed life on earth as a constant struggle between good and evil (Sultana 2020).
This view of religion and its strong influence meant that people in Salem could easily believe in the existence of witches as an evil force that was trying to fight them. At the same time, they could consider deviation from Puritan norms as worship of the devil. Accordingly, within the framework of their thinking, they had to catch and kill all the people they suspected of witchcraft. In addition, such a religious orientation instilled in the children of Salem a particular sensitivity to, in their opinion, manifestations of supernatural forces.
The legal system and local government played a significant indirect role in organizing and conducting the witch trials in Salem. The village lacked a formalized system with clear rules, necessitating the presence of magistrates who resolved most conflicts and were responsible for passing sentences. Thus, the community did not need any evidence of witchcraft since its existence was recognized by default (Underwood 2019). Because of this distortion, the legal process of that time was quite flawed since the accused had no defense or opportunity to justify themselves.
The side effect of mass behavior also had imperative significance in beginning subsequent proceedings that escalated into multiple murders of innocent people. The mass story among the population of Salem was caused by a stressful state to which people succumbed because they believed that they were in real danger, which came from the fact that ghosts began to operate in their habitat.
In addition, uncertainty was also a significant aspect of muffling critical thinking, which subsequently affected how residents treated suspects. This contributed to the constant increase in accusations when many people began to be suspected based on denunciations of visions. People who fell outside the social order, such as the enslaved, people who doubted the testimony of Betty Parris and Abigail Williams, and those who did not attend church (Underwood 2019), tended to receive a lot of attention. Thus, in public perception, such members of society were not wholly loyal to the Puritan way of life, which made them suspicious and guilty.
Conclusion
The Salem witch trials are the most notorious witch hunts in history. These events were caused by a combination of many aspects that ultimately led to the murder of many people. It can be said that the main trigger event that marked the beginning of these trials is the testimony of Betty Parris and Abigail Williams about a ghost and visions in which people who serve the devil came to them. Further development of the situation followed the same scenario of accusations and unsubstantiated trials violating people’s rights. The solid Puritan beliefs of the community’s residents were also an important influencing factor. Religious views led to an inviolable trust in the existence of supernatural forces.
References
Deeksha Karunakar. 2021. “A Study of Salem Witch Trial: A Gender and Religion Based Discrimination”. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology 25(4): 9536-9552. Web.
Huidrom, Sujata. 2019. “Neuroticism in The Crucible.” Attention! Attention! XXI(42): 88-98. Web.
Ndu, Augustina O., and Ijeoma L. Obiorah. 2021. “The Significance of African Cultural Heritage Based OnMaryse Conde’si, Tituba: Black Witch Of Salem.” Journal of Chinese & African Studies (JOCAS) 2(1): 185-199. Web.
Sultana, Tanzin. 2020. ” Hawthorne’s Dimmesdale and Waliullah’s Majeed Are Not Charlatan: A Comparative Study in the Perspective of Destabilized Socio-Religious Psychology.” English Language and Literature Studies 10(3): 1-7. Web.
Underwood, Amanda. 2019. “Witchcraft in the American Colonies Beyond the Limits of Salem.” Fairmount Folio: Journal of History 19: 1-13. Web.
Loading...
